


An Unexpected Valentine

by dreamymcbeal



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Pepperony - Freeform, Pepperony Gift Exchange, Pepperony Gift Exchange 2021, Pre IM, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:21:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29556957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamymcbeal/pseuds/dreamymcbeal
Summary: It's Valentine's Day and Pepper Potts has a boyfriend. But she will spend the day differently than expected.
Relationships: Pepper Potts & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Kudos: 15





	An Unexpected Valentine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [senorpinkman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/senorpinkman/gifts).



It was a day like every else. For Pepper anyway. 

Although she had a boyfriend, she didn’t pay much attention to Valentine’s Day. Will, said boyfriend, respected that Pepper wasn’t really the typical romantic type. She appreciated couple time and gestures of love, but wasn’t mad if not every special occasion was celebrated hugely. 

Pepper had warned Will that is was gonna be a long working day for her this Valentine’s Day. After all her boss was no other than Tony Stark. She had been his assistant for 6 years and no day was like the other. 

Each day Pepper prayed that Tony would follow the rules and she wouldn’t have to get strict with him. Rules weren’t exactly Tony’s strength, so she never had too much hope. Despite all the troubles her job could bring, Pepper loved going to work. After all it meant she could see Tony every day. Obviously she would never say that out loud to anyone. She had a boyfriend and Mr. Stark was her boss.

With strangely confusing thoughts, Pepper came into work. She took a deep breath and put on all her professionalism. She wore her favourite business outfit. A black tailored blazer and the matching pencil skirt. Pepper wondered if that had been a conscious decision. She remembered that Tony enjoyed that outfit just as much. He never uttered a word, but Pepper noticed his little smiles and a particular good mood whenever she wore it. 

‘What are you even thinking?’, Pepper muttered to herself. ‘Time to work’. 

With determination she entered Tony’s mansion. His Malibu house was extraordinary, no question. But Pepper wasn’t the easily impressed type. She had seen so many pretentious businessmen trying to make her like them. She was immune.

‘Mr. Stark, I’m here. Time to get ready’, Pepper called from the living room. No reply. 

‘Mr. Stark, Miss Potts here. Please get ready.' Still nothing. 

Pepper sighed. She could very well imagine why there was no answer. The most likely explanations would that he was either still asleep or had a visitor over. Probably both. 

Pepper couldn’t even count the times she found her boss with female guests in some very explicit situations. Sometimes even more than one guest. 

She always tried to tell herself that her anger was just due to professional reasons. It was hard to do her job if Tony didn’t follow basic rules. Any other reason for her anger were impossible and she put those in the deepest corner of her mind. 

Visibly annoyed she approached Tony’s bedroom, ready to clean any trash she finds. So she knocked. Nothing. She repeated this another two times and still no answer. Her dislike of the situation grew so she decided to just enter the room, facing whatever she would find.

Taking a deep breath, she entered. To her surprise, the room was completely empty. All there was, was a note on the bed. 

Pepper took the note: ‘Got up early. I’m busy, won’t be here all day. T’

On the other side of the note there was a to-do-list for the day. 

‘He cannot be serious!’, Pepper almost shouted. 

There were lots of meetings planned and things to be discussed and approved. The list was so long, it would definetely take her more than the usual working hours to get everything done. The list included phone calls, writing mails, among other tie consuming tasks like printing contracts. 

It almost seemed like Tony was making her mad on purpose. Although it was suspicious that Tony knew so many tasks. He usually didn’t really listen when Pepper got too much into detail over work. 

Angry, but left with no choice Pepper did everything she was told to do. It was 8pm when she had finished everything. 

‘Gosh no’, she muttered. 

She hadn’t spoken to Will all day. Although she had told him it might be late, she hadn’t expected it to be this late.

So Pepper decided that it might be a good idea to phone Will right now to have some damage control at least. But just in the second she took her phone, a call came in. Expecting it to be Will, Pepper picked up quickly. 

‘I’m so, so sorry. I totally lost track of time sweetheart’. 

She immediately regretted not checking who the caller actually is. 

‘Oh, Miss Potts. I’m your sweetheart now? What a lovely surprise’. 

Pepper wanted to throw her phone away and disappear. She collected all her strength and replied as calm as possible:

‘Mr. Stark. What a surprise indeed. I expected it to be someone else. I apologise.’ 

She could practically see the grinning face at the other end of the line. 

‘Absolutely no need to apologise, Miss Potts. It’s a day of love, so why not be honest’, Tony said with a lot of satisfaction. 

‘No, no, no. I don’t think you get what I’m saying. I was mistaking you with someone else. My--’ 

‘No need to keep explaining’, Tony replied, ‘Actually, I have an emergency that requires your presence immediately.’

‘Mr. Stark, I apologise again, but I really can’t. It’s Valentine’s Day and my--’ 

‘Oh, is it really Valentine’s Day? i completely forgot. That explains a lot. Anyway, it’s just a normal day and this emergency can’t wait.’ Tony seemed extremely determined and serious.

‘Okay, okay. Only if it really is an emergency. And if it doesn’t take too long.’

Pepper could never have said no. She just couldn’t admit it. 

‘Perfect!’, Tony’s mood seemed significantly better all of a sudden. ‘I already sent Happy to pick you up.’ 

‘You involved poor Happy in this? Well, okay, thanks. I’ll get into the car’ 

‘See you soon then, Miss Potts’, Tony’s grin was impossible to overhear. 

Pepper hung up and made her way to the car. When she arrived outside, Happy was already waiting. 

‘Hello Happy, nice to see you.’ 

‘You too Pepper. Here, get into the car.’ 

Pepper sighed. 

‘I’m not sure if this is actually a good idea. I should be home.’ 

Happy acted all innocent. ‘But Tony absolutely needs you. It really can’t wait.’ 

‘Okay sure, but what is this all about? Can you fill me in?’ 

‘Sorry Pepper, no time. We have to rush. Strict order.’ 

Pepper got confused and almost angry. She tried the whole car journey to get anything out of Happy, without success. The car’s windows were too dark to determine where they were going. Pepper had also lost track of how long the car ride took. She was sure to hear the ocean.

Happy stopped the car, got out of the car and opened Pepper’s door. She got out and tried to orientate herself. The view was a bit different than usual, but she was sure to recognise her favourite restaurant. Just not the usual everyman-entrance, but a quiet side one. 

Happy made a big gesture towards the restaurant door ‘After you.’, he smiled. 

Pepper had seen the hallway before, but only from her table in the restaurant. She would never use her Stark Industries privilege to go ‘backstage’ and demand anything. 

The restaurant was unusually quiet. Especially for Valentine’s Day. 

Before Pepper could worry, Happy led her into a small room. Presumably a relaxing room for the staff. No one was in the room. 

‘Enjoy your stay’, Happy grinned. 

‘But--’ 

Happy was already gone. Pepper looked around the room and found a big package hanging on a old cupboard. A note was stuck to it. Pepper sighed once again.

_What is going on?_

She read the note. 

‘You’ll need this tonight, TS’. 

‘Idiot!’, Pepper exclaimed while she also couldn’t hold back a wave of anticipation and excitement.

Pepper opened the package. She couldn’t believe her eyes. 

A gorgeous long dark red satin dress. 

_He’s crazy_. 

Not just any dress, but one she had meant to buy for a while now. But she was too self-restraining. Tony must have seen the catalogue on her desk. 

Pepper had a soft smile on her face, visibly blushing. That wasn’t the whole story though. 

A tiny black box was laying on a small table next to the cupboard. 

Another note: ‘Oh, this as well’. 

Pepper giggled and didn’t recognise herself. She opened the box and almost fell over. 

An illegally expensive-looking, shining golden necklace with a ruby as eye catcher. 

Pepper gasped for air. She felt a heatwave growing inside her. 

‘This isn’t real’. 

She did a step back and almost fell over another box on the floor. 

The next note was waiting. ‘I finalise everything’ it said. 

Pepper opened the box and found her dream pair of high heels in the same shade of the dress. She had seen them in a boutique that Tony bought a suit in. He must have seen her look. 

Pepper sat down and observed the surprises (or presents?) for what felt like an eternity. She was lost for words and didn’t know what to do.

Then she was snapped out her thoughts by a strong knock. 

‘Pepper, are you okay?’, Happy asked. ‘You need to hurry’. 

‘I’m... alright’, Pepper stuttered. ‘Just a second please’. 

She collected all her strength and put on the surprises. She was breathless. 

Everything was even more stunning than she could have imagined. Her confidence grew enormously. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the room. 

Happy was waiting and visibly excited. 

‘That really doesn’t look like an emergency, Happy’. Pepper gave Happy a sceptic eyebrow. 

‘Ehm, well, but it really is. We shouldn’t waste any time.’ 

Happy let Pepper across the hallway into the restaurant. There was absolutely no one there. Yet, the lights looked absolutely dreamy. 

‘We’re almost there.’ 

Pepper’s heart started racing and she couldn’t quite place why. Happy opened the big glass door that led to the terrace and down to the beach. The way was full of beautiful small and big candles. She didn’t know how, but Pepper already found herself walking down the classical stone stairs down to the beach. 

Then she felt like fainting. There he was. Anthony Edward Stark. Wearing a beautiful dark blue tailored suit and a bowtie in the exact colour of her dress. This was very clearly a fever dream. His smile seemed equally big and shy. His eyes were glowing.

Tony was using all his strength to collect himself. He had planned to act all relaxed and play it totally cool. Now that Pepper arrived, his intentions seemed impossible to reach. 

The idea for this date(?) came quite recently. He had heard Pepper talking to her boyfriend and this had caused a strange feeling of discomfort in him. So he developed this idea to lead her away from Will at least for one day. Especially Valentine’s Day. 

Seeing her in this dress was something magical. Yes, that was the word. Magical. 

Her open hair looked extremely soft and her face gave a feeling of comfort. Then she arrived. 

‘Tony, what is this all about? What is your emergency? I came here as quick as possible.’ 

‘As you can see, there’s lots of food here and that mustn’t turn cold or be wasted. I can’t possibly do this on my own.’

Pepper couldn’t believe her eyes or ears. 

‘You can’t be serious. This is not an emergency, Mr. Stark.’ 

‘Oh, it quite is. Food waste is a serious issue.’ 

Pepper found herself grinning at this stupid remark. 

‘I thought you were in trouble. You made it sound like it. I should be home with my--’ 

‘You are right were you should be right now. Sit down.’ 

Pepper saw the hope in his big brown eyes. _Damn_

Tony was relieved that Pepper actually sat down. 

The table was decorated with the most gorgeous flowers and more candles. A delicious looking salad and some bread were on the table. The ocean was as calm as it possibly could. 

Tony and Pepper looked at each other for a while before any of them had the courage to speak or start eating.

‘Tony, this is... incredible. I don’t understand what this is for though.’ 

‘You just derserve it. I know I missed some important events.’ 

_Yes my birthday a few days ago_ Pepper thought. 

‘I wanted to catch up. You’re my longterm assistant and you being here on such a special day is proof of your loyalty.’ 

‘Oh, that’s my job. No big deal really.’ 

‘It is for me.’

Both of them blushed at this remark. 

'Well, also Valentine's Day isn't just for lovers or couples. It's a day on which you appreciate special people in your life.' 

Tony obviously tried to calm Pepper a bit, because he knew that she would find the whole situation highly inappropiate for boss and employee. 

Soon a private waiter arrived with the main course. A lovely looking and smelling chicken, pasta and vegetable creation going along with what seemed like Pepper's favourite red wine. Everything happened to be exactly what she always picked in this restaurant. 

'Here's to a lovely evening', Tony smiled 

'And this really was your idea?' 

'Well, yes. Don't you think I'm capable of that?' 

'I do admit I would have had slight doubts if you had told me about this plan before.' 

'I'm deeply offended', Tony theatrically exclaimed. 

Pepper laughed with her whole chest. 

She wasn't sure if it was the wine or Tony. Or both. 

Time flew by so quickly. The two of them talked and talked. About the beauty of the ocean and life in general. It felt free. 

Then the last course arrived. Pepper's favourite and most beloved chocolate cream cake. 

'I'm still sure you actually messed something up and will give me bad news soon.' 

Tony gestured innocently with his arms. 

'Absolutely not. I promise.' 

Pepper raised an eyebrow. 

'Don't look like that Pep.' 

Pepper felt a heatwave coming up inside her body. 

'Pep? 

Tony smiled innocently. Then he got up and reached out a hand. 

'Come on' 

Pepper hesitated, but felt too weak to resist. 

So the two of them walked arm in arm along the beach. None spoke for a while. Then Tony stopped. In the background 'Strangers in the Night' by Frank Sinatra was playing from a nearby restaurant. 

__

Without words Tony and Pepper moved closer and started dancing. 

Both felt like time stopped. They wanted to freeze the moment forever. So many unspoken feelings and thoughts expressed in the song and looks. 

Pepper laid her head on Tony's chest. He definetely has a heart. 

Tony looked Pepper in the eyes and felt peace. Peace he rarely ever knows. 

The song stopped and none of the two moved. Feeling each other's heartbeats was the only thing that seemed to matter. 

Tony took a deep breath and moved his head closer to Pepper's. 

Then, sudden awakening. 

Pepper's phone ringed. 

_Shit_ Both thought. 

'Pepper, please...' 

She had already picked up. 

Hello Will' 

_No. No. No._

'Yes, I'm sorry. I'm on my way now. Had an emergency and barely and signal on my phone' 

A sad look filled Tony's face. 

Pepper sighed deeply. 

'I have to go. Thank you so, so much for this lovely and crazy surprise. It was much needed and I'll remember it next time I'm mad.' Pepper tried to cheer the situation up. 

Tony collected himself and played strong. 

_This is why I never do this_

'No worries. As I said, you deserve it. I'm glad I made the right decisions.' 

'You did', Pepper smiled softly. 'Thank you again and see you tomorrow.' 

Pepper came closer to Tony and kissed his left cheek, giving him a last smile while walking back to the car. 

Tony stood there motionless, cracking a broken smile back at her. 

_Please come back_

But she didn't. Tony sighed and watched the ocean for several more minutes. 

Then he wandered along the beach with no destination. 


End file.
